Zayn Malik Quits One Direction Tour Due to ‘Stress’

Publicist Simon Jones released a statement on Twitter, writing, "Zayn has been signed off with stress and is flying back to the UK to recuperate. The band wish him well and will continue with their performances in Manila and Jakarta."

One Direction are on their On the Road Again tour. According to the tour website, they are scheduled to play in Manila on March 21 and 22, and in Jakarta on March 25.

The news follows recent allegations that Zayn cheated on his fiancée Perrie Edwards after photos appearing to show him holding hands with another girl circulated online. On Wednesday, March 16, the 1D singer denied the reports on Twitter, saying, “I’m 22 years old… I love a girl named Perrie Edwards. And there’s a lot of jealous f---s in this world I’m sorry for what it looks like x.”

A source addressed the situation with the Sun, noting the intense pressure under which Zayn lives.

“Zayn finds it tougher than the rest of his band-mates dealing with fame," the insider said (quotes via the Mirror). "Having his every movement scrutinised causes great anxiety and the pictures which surfaced with the fan yesterday was the final straw. He did nothing wrong but the amount of criticism he received was simply too much. He needs to get away."

Zayn's presence in One Direction will be missed. We hope he is able to take the time he needs to recover and that he is able to re-join the On the Road Again tour soon.